对许多热爱阅读的人来说，能走进小说里，走在那些大亨小传浪漫的街道上，吃海明威风格的晚餐，如果能过一回书中角色的人生，那一定是一件梦寐以求的事情吧！
这可能也是美国设计师兼作家 Dinah Fried的愿望之一，热爱文学和艺术的她，在就读艺术学院期间，就开始着手「设计」出世界名著中的餐点，她会根据书中的时空环境、人物背景去想像出这些名著的餐点样貌，还会配合书中的情节搭配餐桌，例如在《爱丽丝梦游仙境》的餐桌上就藏有红心皇后的扑克牌和兔子先生的怀表……
'Have some wine,' the March Hare said in an encouraging tone. Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea.”
掉进兔子洞中的爱丽丝，被邀请到兔子先生参加疯狂的下午茶聚会，Dinah Fried 设计了一张精致乡村风格的餐桌，有古典的瓷盘、蕾丝桌布，还有一杯下午茶。仔细一看里面还藏有红心皇后的扑克牌及兔子先生的怀表。
“When I'm out somewhere, I generally just eat a Swiss cheese sandwich and a malted milk . It isn't much, but you get quite a lot of vitamins in the malted milk. HV Caulfield. Holden Vitamin Caulfield.”
彷徨的胡登被学校退学了，这张年轻学生的餐桌上面，只有最简单的三明治、奶茶、咖啡。吃完这餐的胡登，也许城里闲晃溜冰，也许会有一个挫败的约会，也许又是无处可去的一天，我想他在吃这顿早餐时，心里也是充满了五味杂陈的复杂感觉吧。
“On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors-d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold.”
1920 年代的美国，经济飞速发展，流行爵士乐、轻佻文化、贩卖私酒、犯罪率高。从右下角散落的珍珠项链、左上角微微露出的金汤匙、满桌精致摆设过的餐点，让我们可以一窥百万富翁盖兹比的餐桌，不过这大概只是前菜的餐桌一角吧，永远喝不完的酒杯餐桌还没出现！
“There were old, half-rotten vegetables; bones from the evening meal, covered in white sauce that had gone hard; a few raisins and almonds; some cheese that Gregor had declared inedible two days before; a dry roll and some bread spread with butter and salt….”
一天起床就发现自己完完全全变成一只大甲虫的主角，竟然发现自己也开始喜欢吃腐烂的食物了…..Dinah Fried 设计了这张堆满厨余的照片，这个令人作呕的餐桌，似乎也和卡夫卡一起在反思令人感到「恶心」的是丑陋的外型，还是丑陋的人性？
“The kettle soon began to boil, and meanwhile the old man held a large piece of cheese on a long iron fork over the fire, turning it round and round till it was toasted a nice golden yellow color on each side. Heidi watched all that was going on with eager curiosity.”
我想大家比较熟悉的，应该是根据《海蒂》这本世界名著改编的卡通《阿尔卑斯山的少女》，这是纯朴善良的小女孩海蒂，在阿尔卑山上和爷爷共享早餐的画面，温暖的木质桌子，新鲜的羊奶，光只是看着这张照片，我就能感受到一种简单美好的幸福。
“She improvised bandages and covered the wound with a makeshift compress. Then she poured the coffee and handed him a sandwich. 'I'm really not hungry,' he said. 'I don't give a damn if you're hungry. Just eat,' Salander commanded, taking a big bite of her own cheese sandwich.”
莎兰德一边替男主角布隆维斯特包扎伤口，一边桌上摆放的简单早餐，这样简单俐落的餐点和餐桌摆设，是否也非常符合两人冷静的个性特质呢？
“One day in winter, as I came home, my mother, seeing that I was cold, suggested that, contrary
to my habit, I have a little tea. I refused at first and then, I do not know why, changed my mind . She sent for one of those squat, plump cakes called petites madeleines…”
这部经典的意识流小说，擅长描述细节和感觉，男主角就曾经形容，将玛德莲蛋糕浸泡在茶水中吃的味道，会使他想起他童年时在莱奥妮姨妈家里的回忆。20世纪初，法国的上流社会很流行这种精致不艳的午茶聚会。
无意间发现的这本摄影集 Fictitious Dishes 让我重新回味了一次阅读这些作品时的美好悸动，还不知道该从哪一本世界名著下手的人，也可以先挑一张喜欢的餐桌，然后……或许你就可以选到一本最符合你口味的书！